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Individual and combined effects of polystyrene and divalent cadmium on nitrogen removal performance, microbial community and functional gene in sequencing batch reactors.
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This study evaluated individual and combined effects of polystyrene microplastics and cadmium on nitrogen removal performance and microbial communities in sequencing batch reactors. Combined exposure reduced treatment efficiency and altered microbial community structure more severely than either contaminant alone.
This study evaluated the effects of individual and combined polystyrene (PS) and divalent cadmium (Cd) on pollutant removal efficiencies, microbial enzyme activity, microbial toxicity, microbial community structure and nitrogen removal genes in four sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). The results showed that the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand and NH-N in the combined PS and Cd treatment decreased by 12.37 % and 29.05 % compared to the control reactor, respectively. The nitrification and denitrification rates were significantly inhibited, which was correlated with the suppression of key microbial enzyme activities, particularly ammonia monooxygenase and nitrite oxidoreductase, leading to NH and NO accumulation. The combination of PS and Cd exhibited synergistic toxicity, causing severe disruptions in the microbial community. The relative abundance of Gammaproteobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria declined, essentially for nitrification and denitrification. Additionally, the relative abundances of key nitrogen-cycling genera (Nitrosomonas, Nitrospira, Thauera and Dechloromonas) decreased, impairing nitrogen transformation processes. The relative abundances of nitrogen removal genes (amoA, napA, narG and nirS) were significantly reduced, further indicating functional deterioration. The findings highlighted that combined PS and Cd induced compositional and functional shifts in microbial communities, exacerbating toxicity effects, disrupting nitrogen metabolism, and impairing SBR performance ultimately.
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This study examined how aged polyethylene microplastics and cadmium interact in stormwater filtration systems — a water management infrastructure that rarely gets attention in microplastics research. The combined presence of both contaminants disrupted the microbial communities responsible for removing nitrogen from stormwater, affecting key nitrogen-cycling genes and treatment efficiency. The findings highlight that microplastic pollution can undermine the effectiveness of water treatment infrastructure in ways that go beyond the plastics themselves.
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Researchers tested how tiny plastic particles (nanoplastics) combined with cadmium, a toxic metal, affect constructed wetlands that treat water. Wetlands exposed to both pollutants, especially biodegradable plastic particles, removed less nitrogen and showed disrupted microbial activity, including changes to bacteria genes involved in nitrogen processing.
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This study found that polystyrene and PVC microplastics disrupted the performance of wastewater treatment systems designed to remove nitrogen and phosphorus, reducing nitrogen removal by up to 10%. The microplastics altered microbial communities, decreased cooperation between beneficial bacteria, and blocked important biological pathways. Since wastewater treatment is a key barrier against pollution reaching drinking water, microplastic interference with these systems could indirectly increase human exposure to harmful contaminants.
Coexistence of microplastics and Cd alters soil N transformation by affecting enzyme activity and ammonia oxidizer abundance
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Researchers studied how the combined presence of microplastics and cadmium in soil affects nitrogen cycling, a process essential for soil fertility. They found that the pollutant mixture altered enzyme activity and shifted the balance of ammonia-oxidizing microbial communities more than either contaminant alone. The findings suggest that co-contamination of soils with microplastics and heavy metals could disrupt nutrient cycles critical for plant growth.
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Researchers found that polystyrene and PET microplastics reduced total nitrogen removal by 7-16% in biofilm wastewater treatment systems by causing cell damage, altering microbial community structure, and suppressing key genes involved in denitrification and nitrogen conversion.
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